The Values of Sacred Swamps: Belief-Based Nature Conservation in a Secular World

Global forest loss is highest in the tropical region, an area with high biological biodiversity. As some of these forests are part of indigenous forest management, it is important to pay attention to such management, its values and practices for better conservation. This paper focuses on sacred freshwater swamp forests of the Western Ghats, India, and with it a faith-based approach to nature conservation. Drawing on fieldwork and focus groups, we present the rituals and rules that structure the governance of sacred swamps. We also discuss in depth the ecological, socio-cultural and economic valuation of these freshwater swamps by various local groups. In this way, we show overlaps and differences of valuation among different groups. In the context of a secular state with a diversity of faith groups and migration dynamics, we propose that faith-based governance of sacred swamps can benefit from the emphasis of faith-independent, 'accessible' ecological, socio-cultural and economic values to foster a dialogue around sacred swamps and their place for livelihoods and nature conservation.

Indigenous forest management practices in some community forests of Nepal

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Determinants of People’s Participation in Forest Protection and Management: A Study in Kaski, Nepal

Forests are easily available renewable natural resources in the world that directly and indirectly provide socio-economic benefits to the people living in and around the forests and also environmental protection and ecological balance to the global people. In Nepal, traditionally people’s participation in forest protection and sustainable management was very popular through many informal traditional and indigenous forest management committees. But, unfortunately, there was a huge lost of forests in quantity, quality and density due to some unfavorable socio-economic and political situations. So, the government has formally, legally and gradually shifted from centralized to decentralized protection and management of forests since mid of 1970’s through various forest plans, policies, acts, regulation and guidelines. The major aims of people’s participation are to get basic forest products, socio-economic development, and overall improvement of forest resources. Moreover, the role of I/NGOs and other stakeholders should be as partner, advisor, facilitator and more technical supporter for effective participation of people. However, the major challenges of people’s participation is how to make meaningful involvement of local people in better forest protection, management and sustainable development so that they will get sustainable economic benefits for livelihood, environmental protection and ecological balance.Economic Journal of Development Issues Vol. 17 & 18 No. 1-2 (2014) Combined Issue; Page: 175-186

KONSISTENSI NEGARA ATAS DOKTRIN WELFARE STATE DALAM PENGELOLAAN SUMBER DAYA HUTAN OLEH MASYARAKAT ADAT

AbstrakKonstitusi hijau (green constitution) menempatkan Indonesia sebagai negara yang memiliki konsekuensi yuridis konstitusional di dalam UUD 1945 untuk menerapkan prinsip-prinsip ekokrasi, yakni setiap kebijaksanaan atau pembangunan di bidang perekonomian selalu memerhatikan lingkungan hidup di segala sektor, termasuk kehutanan. Hal ini bertujuan untuk menerapkan pilar-pilar pembangunan berkelanjutan (sustainable development) secara seimbang demi menyejahterakan rakyat. Objek kajian ini adalah putusan MK No. 35/PUU-X/2012 dengan subjek hukumnya masyarakat adat yang telah dilanggar hak konstitusionalnya. Masyarakat hukum adat memiliki kearifan lokal (local wisdom) tersendiri dalam upaya perlindungan dan pengelolaan lingkungan hidup atas sumber daya alam hutan adat, sehingga negara wajib melindungi dan bertindak sebagai fasilitator masyarakat hukum adat untuk mengelola hutan adatnya sendiri. Tujuan dari pengkajian ini adalah untuk menguji dan menganalisis konsistensi kewenangan negara atas doktrin welfare state atau negara kesejahteraan dalam pengelolaan hutan negara dengan kewenangan masyarakat adat dalam pengelolaan hutan adat berdasarkan kajian socio-legal atau hukum dalam fakta sosial atas putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi. Penulis menggunakan metodologi berdasarkan pengkajian putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi, dengan menelaah aspek socio-legal dalam putusan ini. Selain itu, bahan hukum primer dan bahan hukum sekunder sebagai pijakan yuridis normatif dan studi kepustakaan sebagai kerangka teori. Hasil kajian ini terungkap bahwa terdapat hubungan antara hak menguasai negara dengan hutan negara, dan hak menguasai negara terhadap hutan adat. Terhadap hutan negara, negara mempunyai wewenang penuh untuk mengatur dan memutuskan persediaan, peruntukan, pemanfaatan, pengurusan serta hubungan-hubungan hukum yang terjadi di wilayah hutan negara. Adapun hutan adat, wewenang negara dibatasi sejauhmana isi wewenang yang tercakup dalam hutan adat. Hak pengelolaan hutan adat berada pada masyarakat hukum adat, namun jika dalam perkembangannya masyarakat hukum adat yang bersangkutan tidak ada lagi, maka hak pengelolaan hutan adat jatuh kepada Pemerintah. Kesimpulan yang diperoleh adalah hak menguasai negara dimaknai sebagai kewenangan dan kewajiban negara untuk mengelola sumber daya alam hutan dengan tujuan kesejahteraan masyarakat, termasuk masyarakat adat, sehingga negara berfungsi sebagai fasilitator.AbstractGreen constitution placed Indonesia as a country that has a constitutional juridical consequences constitution in 1945 to apply the principles of ecocracy, that is any wisdom or development in the field of economy always looking environment in all sectors, including forestry. It aims to implement the pillars of sustainable development in a balanced manner for the sake of welfare of the people (society). The study object is the Constitution Court decision No. 35/PUU-X/2012 with indigenous people’s subject his constitutional rights. Indigenous and tribal peoples have local wisdoms of its own in the protection and management of natural resources of indigenous forest, so that the state shall protect and act as facilitators of indigenous communities to manage their own indigenous forests. The purpose of this study are to examine and analyze the consistency of state authority over the doctrine of welfare state in the management of state forest with indigenous authorities in the indigenous forest management based on socio-legal study of the Constitutional Court's decision. The author uses a methodology based on assessment of the Constitutional Court decision, by examining the socio-legal aspects of this decision. In addition, primary legal materials and secondary legal materials as a normative foundation and the study of literature as a theoretical framework. The results of this study revealed that is a relationship between the state is the state forest, and the state is customary forests. To the state forest, the state has full authority to organize and decide the inventory, allocation, utilization, management, and legal relations that occur in the forest region of the country. The indigenous forests, state authority is limited extent authorized content covered in indigenous forest. Indigenous forest management rights of indigenous communities, but if the development of indigenous communities in question no longer exists, then the rights of indigenous forest management falls to the Government. The conclusion is the state is interpreted as the authority and duty of the state to manage forest resources with the goal of public welfare, including indigenous peoples, so that the state serves as a facilitator. Unity traditional communities (indigenous peoples) are part of the eco-system of indigenous forest resource contains the values of local wisdom which has the right to manage indigenous forest, without the intervention of the state or private